JLOVE3
04-17-2007, 12:10 PM
I have an Amstaff Lab mix named Madison. She is quite a handful. I knew this type of dog was high energy, but she has SUPER high energy. We have had her for almost one month now. When we got her, she was 11 months old. We are trying to housbreak her. When we say "outside" she tips her head and looks at you funny but seems to know what you mean b/c she will wag her tail and as we walk to the door she is there. But how do you get her to go to the door on her own and let me know she has to go out? I let her out when I got home from work last night and within 1-2 hours of using the potty, she decided to pee on our bed. I found that surprise last night. We thought it might have been one of our cats, but the smell is quite different from a dogs. When I see her sniffing and circling, I say outside and out we go. I don't want her peeing on our bed or anywhere for that matter.
Plus when I read about this breed of dog before I adopted her from the Animal welfare, it says they are loyal to their family and get along with cats and children. I am still in the process of the introduction of the cats. We now let her out with our supervision and the cats run under the bed or wherever they can find a hiding space. (we have 5 cats, 5 seperate personalities). So she will go into our bedroom and sniff out the cats under the bed, she can actually put her entire body under the bed, with the cats there. They seem to hiss at her alot. They go to strike with their paws, but only 3 of the 5 have front nails. No one has smacked her hard enough yet. But how do you get them to get along? Do I sit in one room with all the cats and the dog with the door shut and supervise? Or one at a time with her? I just want them to get along. We also are attending obedience classes for Madison.:sicksmiley:
The other day, one cat was behind the freezer in the basement hiding and right next to that is the washer, another cat was wedged between it. Well Madison sniffed them out and would just wag her tail and bark at the cat. She could have attacked the cat if she wanted too, but she seems like she just wants to play. She even put her head past the one cat to look at the other. Right there she could have had lunch.. but didn't.
Any suggestions on the housebreaking and getting along with cats would be so much appreciated.
Thanks a million!!
Plus when I read about this breed of dog before I adopted her from the Animal welfare, it says they are loyal to their family and get along with cats and children. I am still in the process of the introduction of the cats. We now let her out with our supervision and the cats run under the bed or wherever they can find a hiding space. (we have 5 cats, 5 seperate personalities). So she will go into our bedroom and sniff out the cats under the bed, she can actually put her entire body under the bed, with the cats there. They seem to hiss at her alot. They go to strike with their paws, but only 3 of the 5 have front nails. No one has smacked her hard enough yet. But how do you get them to get along? Do I sit in one room with all the cats and the dog with the door shut and supervise? Or one at a time with her? I just want them to get along. We also are attending obedience classes for Madison.:sicksmiley:
The other day, one cat was behind the freezer in the basement hiding and right next to that is the washer, another cat was wedged between it. Well Madison sniffed them out and would just wag her tail and bark at the cat. She could have attacked the cat if she wanted too, but she seems like she just wants to play. She even put her head past the one cat to look at the other. Right there she could have had lunch.. but didn't.
Any suggestions on the housebreaking and getting along with cats would be so much appreciated.
Thanks a million!!